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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bore — to tire
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bore — to drill
  8. game — wild animals
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stand — to bear
  14. game — a match
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rock — music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. sharp — clever
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com